5,000 sued over clash with police in Tentulia

Police yesterday sued some 70 named and four to five thousand unnamed people in two cases filed over Sunday’s clash between stone extraction workers and law enforcers in Bhajanpur area of Panchagarh’s Tentulia.

The clash left one worker killed and 20 others injured. 

The cases were filed with Tentulia Police Station, said Johurul Islam, officer-in-charge of the police station. However, he did not disclose the names of the accused “for the sake of investigation”.

One case was filed over the murder of a worker and the other was filed on charges of attacking police, vandalising a police vehicle, obstructing police from discharging their duties and destroying public properties. 

Following the cases, many of the quarry workers have fled their homes fearing arrest, reports our correspondent. 

Contacted, Mohammad Yusuf Ali, superintendent of police in the district, said none have so far been arrested in connection with the incident.  

No innocent person would be harassed, he said, adding that only criminals would be brought to book after proper investigation.

Earlier on Sunday, a deadly clash took place when the workers blocked the Panchagarh-Banglabandha highway demanding permission to extract stones from underground.

The administration banned stone extraction in the area about six months ago to prevent potential landslides.